Our Story
We are importers of pure organic loose-leaf teas and herbs
We are blenders of artisanal organic teas and tisanes
We are growers of rare Canadian terroir tea
We love what we do
17 YEARS OF WESTHOLME TEA COMPANY
The very humble idea of starting a tea business on Vancouver Island was launched in August of 2008 with a Day of Art & Tea. 17 years later, this concept has blossomed into a well-assorted Teashop featuring our own unique blended teas alongside artisan processed teas from traditional tea growing regions the world over. We have a busy online chapter, a tea garden with several hundred healthy tea plants, a little gallery in the converted barn showcasing local artisans and a growing wholesale division spanning across Canada.
We are incredibly grateful for your support over these remarkable years and we thank you for being involved in our community and growing the dream with us. This year, we celebrate our 17 years in business as well as 15 years in growing and cultivating our limited harvest Canadian teas. We would not have been able to do it all without you and your shared love for tea!
ART FARM | 2003
The concept of Artfarm was illuminated through the intersection of art and home grown, organic food. The evolving enterprise was founded on the marriage of tea and clay which has been an integral part of tea culture for millennia... and so the dream began.
DAY OF ART+TEA | 2008
In August of 2008, a Day of Art + Tea welcomed the community through the farm gates to experience newly developed tea blends, several local artisans, tea culture events and connection to nature in the sculpted labyrinth in the lower field. The idea became rooted in the land and the taste of what was yet to come.
TEAFARM | 2010
Vancouver Island is known for growing and producing many fine culinary products; wine, lavender, hazelnuts, apples, and hops, to name a few. Tea was not even on the list as a possibility and as a result the opportunity to innovate create what had not been done before in Canada would become the endeavour. The unique microclimate in the Cowichan Valley lends itself to cultivating camellia sinensis – the plant from which all teas are made and processed into a variety of tea styles.
In May of 2010 the exploration of growing tea on the slopes of the farm began. The experiment started with 200 camellia sinensis seedlings lovingly planted on two terraces. The adventure was underway to do the impossible and hope the Cowichan BC climate would embrace the tea plants.
Teafarm was born and the idea grew into reality after several tough winters and the original plants all survived. 400 more plants were added to the tea garden in 2014 and another 200 in 2015.
WESTHOLME TEA COMPANY | 2016
To honour the history and geography of the land on which we work, the Westholme Tea Company was named after the valley where the tea garden is planted on Vancouver Island, and where we are endeavouring to grow the home for tea culture in Canada.
The concept of Westholme Tea Company was developed to give our farm grown Canadian tea a sense of place and origin and also honour the teas and tea culture from their place of origin. The rare Canadian terroir tea is now enjoyed at the farm Teashop for local visitors and can be shipped to tea lovers around the world.
Our imported organic estate teas, in-house blended teas and tisanes and farm grown teas will never have synthetic essences, flavourings or chemicals of any kind. We pride ourselves on the quality of our products and will never compromise what we do.
Westholme is a place, an idea, and an experience. We celebrate great tea, local art, and the culinary and aesthetic gifts of Vancouver Island. While our teas can be found in the finest food, hospitality, and boutique storefront environments in North America, it is the place itself that is the heart of the Westholme experience that we love to share with you.
We hope you enjoy every sip of your experience with us.
::
